The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-12-24

lar DAY the old weather. DeaUen mousse seeneu
| to invite me within.
Here" unused, my little Bessie can
obtain glimpse of life the very opposite of
her own joyous existence, and the contrast
| can not fail to give her q higher apprecia-
ton of the blessings she enjoys"
| Accordingly we alighted. The kindly
| faced matron, who admitted us, on learning
the object of our visit, conducted lis ut once
| to the large, common sttipg-room, where
was motley company of people of all ages,
| from the palsied old man, apparently on the
| verge of the grave, to the infant in arms.
The men and women, all of whom bore
unmistakable marks of helpless decrepitude
or hopeless imbecility, were lowering about
huge old-fashioned stove in the center of
| the room. This, with the several stool
chairs on which they sat. and two long set
| tees ranged against the wall, completed its
| cheerless appointments.
| Outside this circle the children diverted
themselves us best they might, their little
| feet pattering to and fro over the bare floor.
The furious barking OF small dog soon aC-
| tracted our attention. He seemed to have
constituted himself the guardian of u frail
little creature, who sat apart on one of the
settees, for he barked the louder the nearer
we approached, never leaving his station at
her side.
"Oh mammal" exclaimed Bessie, in glad
surprise. @if it isn't Fido."
Yes, there could be no mistake. 1t was
her own little dog, that we had given up
for lost almost year before. For, on his
collar. precluding the possibility Of doubt
was his name in large, legible characters,
which myself had stamped there.
At the sound of her familiar voice calling
him, he ceased barking and bounded to
| meet her, frisking and wagging his tail in
Joyful recognition.
Finding herself thus unexpectedly de-
| serted, the child on the settee cast q fright
ened, appealing look about her and burst
into tears. sDon't take him away" she
sobbed Come back, Fido, please come
back. have no one. to love me only you.
AS if comprehending her words and wish
ing to atone for his seeming lack of fidelity,
he turned and in another moment was lick
ing her hands and tear stained face in a
most sympathetic and reassuring manner.
1t was now B,ssie's turn to be fearful, but
a few low-spoken words from me brought
her to a realizing sense of the poor child's
lonely and loveless condition, and with her
this meant tself-forgetfulness and generous
wish to help
"rll give him to you," she said. impul-
siveiy.
@He is already mine," replied the child
evidently wondering at Bessie's presump-
ton. sSanta Claus sent him to me-"
''Oh, OH" calculated Bessie, and then she
led her on with eager questioning to tell
how, last Christmas morning while she
and mamma were out for walk, Fido had
come straight up to them just as if he knew
them; how he had followed them home,
though mamma would not let her call him,
and how after mamma had taken him back
to the street he had returned and whined
ut the door until at last she had opened
it for him and had called him Nellie's
Christmas gift And she, Nellie, had felt
sure that Santa Claus had sent him be-
cause, rs mamma had feared, he found the
long, winding stairs leading to their room
too steep and toilsome to climb with bis
heavy load.
''And where la mamma now?" asked.
"Gone to Heaven" And the pale lips
quivered Us she spoke
Deeply moved, turned to the matron
and from her learned all that was known
of this, to me, strangely interesting child.
Her name was Nellie Martin. She had
been brought there some three months be-
fore from comfortless room in a tene-
ment house, where her mother had died
leaving her uncared for and alone save for
the companionship of little Fldo.
BY the time this recital was ended Bessie
and its subject, with that freedom from
all conventional restraints characteristic
of children, had become, as it Were old ac-
quaintances. Sitting side by side with Fido
stretched across both their laps they bent
in grave consultation over fragment of
newspaper with which we had found Nellie
engaged, and which now, under their COM
II \ IL
like the semblance of doll. pretty pict-
ure they made. and, as looked at them,
could not help wishing that all the world
was us free from tho trammels of rank as
they.
Bessie took reluctant leave of Fido and
his adopted mistress, promising to visit
them again soon and bring her new friend